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Experts Brief Nuclear Summit Planners on Terrorism Threats, Security

March 14, 2014

By Belfer Center Communications

In preparation for the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) set for March 24-25 in the Netherlands, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs nuclear experts have been consulting with Dutch planners and briefing summit organizers (Sherpas) from participating countries on the continuing threat of nuclear terrorism. In addition, the center has developed a website devoted entirely to the summit and issues related to nuclear security and terrorism (www.nuclearsummit.org).
Beginning soon after the 2012 nuclear summit in Seoul, the center’s Matthew Bunn, Gary Samore, and William Tobey began meeting with Dutch organizer Piet de Klerk on various aspects of the planning. Along with de Klerk, Bunn, and Tobey have presented nuclear threat briefings to various audiences, including Japanese policymakers and the UN First Committee in New York.
This fall, Tobey presented a paper on how to measure summit success to policymakers in Washington and diplomats accredited to the IAEA in Vienna. In January, he briefed a Sherpas meeting in Thailand on the “U.S. Russian Joint Threat Assessment on Nuclear Terrorism,” developed by the Belfer Center and Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies.The center’s new Nuclear Security Summit website presents numerous new reports and papers, including:

A pre-summit report on progress toward securing nuclear weapons and the materials around the world.

A revised and updated briefing on the continuing threat of nuclear terrorism.

Results of a survey of nuclear security experts in many countries on what factors drive efforts to strengthen nuclear security.

A paper on the IAEA’s possible expanded future role in nuclear security.

A joint paper with Chinese colleagues on nuclear terrorism and security in China.

A paper on coping with insider threats, with 10 “worst practices” to avoid.